Saudi king: Women given right to vote for first time in 2015 nationwide local elections (Associated Press, 9/25/11)

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Gender in the News

http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/fast-fix---woman-problem-for-obama-administration/2011/09/20/gIQAnDX5iK_video.html

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W0tzDtt6phY[print story]

http://newsfeed.time.com/2011/09/13/forever-21-pulls-allergic-to-algebra-t-shirt-after-critics-cry-foul/

Which sociological perspective is best reflected in

A.The news item about women voting rights in Saudi Arabia?

B.The news item about women in the administration/Washington?

C.The controversy over shirts?

1. Conflict

2. Structure-functionalism

3. Symbolic-interactionism

What was missing from these news items? [think about gender as a relation]

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Gender Inequality

Definitions• Sex: • Gender:

Prejudice (attitudes)

Gender stratification: spheres

Gender inequality (discrimination):

Sexism (prejudice & discrimination):

Patriarchy: (pater=father)Institutional power: men as a class have it, women as a class don’t

Feminism: quest for gender equality. Period.Does “Ivy” the feminist dislike men? No. She simply wants equal institutional power for

herself, mother, daughter and other women – e.g., to be paid equally, to not be at most risk of domestic violence, and so forth. It is as simple as that.

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Genderized traits:  

• What traits are associated with masculine vs. feminine?

• What do labels tell us?“Dumb blondes”“Bullies” “Jocks”“Sluts vs. Studs” “Tough Guise” Other examples?

Sex roles vary across cultures and times – social in nature

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Gender Inequality

The Social Construction of Gender

1. Gender Roles:

2. Socialization:

3. Gender role socialization: 

Gender roles & socialization constructed & reinforced through

– Institutions (discuss in more detail)– Everyday interactions

Young children learn how to act as “boys” or “girls” by:

1. Imitation/Modeling

2. Reinforcement

internalize social expectations for behavior & appearance

Construction of Gender Begins Early

http://www.babybangsbabywigs.com/home.html

“Baby Bangs say ‘I’m not a boy.’”

Restoration HW Baby Catalogue

…and continues into adulthood:

Can we “pick” the gender of the Mad Men character?

http://www.amctv.com/originals/madmen/whichmadman

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Is this dog a grrrrllll or a boy?

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:

Example of early gender socialization: Gendering of Toys

1. Parent’s select toys based on gender a. Characteristics of "Boy" Toys and “Girl Toys are

established b. Which toys? c. Degrees of gendering of boys and girls toys

2. Toy Advertisinga. Toys are gender segregated by “gender

appropriateness”b. How? Space, Gendered Colors

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:

What’s the problem with constructing gender? • Creates and exaggerates artificial

differences • Differences discrimination

Other ways gender “differences” constructed in social institutions

(Macionis, p. 88)

1. Family2. Education3. Mass Media4. Religion5. Politics6. Economy/work

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Consequences of Constructing Gender: Social Problems

What social problems are related to gender discrimination?

1. Family2. Education3. Politics4. Economy/work

“Head of the household”

“Household division of labor”Spheres/segregation

12Data Source: Stafford, Frank. 2008. Time diaries used to gather data.

http://www.ns.umich.edu/podcast/audio.php?id=80

Married women with more than three kids did an average of about 28 hours of housework a week. Married men with more than three kids, by comparison, logged only about 10 hours of housework a week.

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Social problems related to gender bias & sexism

Consequences of Constructing Gender

What social problems are related to dividing genders into two clear-cut categories? For women? For men?

1. Family

2. Education

3. Politics

4. Economy/work

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• Sports in School: Title IX– “Playing Unfair”– Case Study of change? Wrestling:

• http://www.nytimes.com/2007/02/17/nyregion/17wrestle.html?_r=1&oref=slogin

• http://video.on.nytimes.com/?fr_story=ae242927fed432de33fc52f1d3e530b00286fdc3 (2nd link is permanent)

http://video.on.nytimes.com/?fr_story=87219ec06d954c48a374feea8b3738cdae382c38

Florida Girl’s weightlifting –only state that sanctionsLiving up to coach’s expectations

• Tracking: What’s a girl or a boy to do?• Attention/validation: educational outcomes (Sadker)

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Consequences of Constructing Gender: Social Problems

What social problems are related to gender discrimination?

1. Family2. Education3. Politics4. Economy/work

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: Example of construction: Gendering of PoliticsWho is/was the first viable woman candidate for president of the

U.S.?• Victoria Woodhull, in 1872 (ratified)– support of Cornelius Vanderbilt• Women could not vote until 1920, but held public office• First woman stockbroker on the NYSE (Woodhull, Claflin, & Co.)

Erika Falk evaluated press coverage of candidates• “novelty frame” (anomaly)—effect….?• Portray women = “naturals” in domestic sphere, men=public

• When woman enters public life, seen as norm violation• Male candidates: 2X # articles than women -- & 7% longer• 27% of articles on men=issues; 16% for women• Women: 3X # of comments on attire or physical traits than men• Age mentioned much more often for women than men.

Former Arizona Gov. Nancy Neapolitano’s “fitness” for Dir. Of Homeland Security

• http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/12/02/campbell.brown.rendell/index.html

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Political Representation by Gender, 2004

13 1418

23

87 8682

77

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

Women Men

US Senate

House ofRepresentativesGovernors

StateLegislatures

Statistical Abstract of the United States: Tables 408,413,415; National Governors’ Association, 2004, Election Results

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Social problems related to gender bias & sexismConsequences of Constructing Gender What social problems are related to dividing genders into two clear-cut

categories? For women? For men? 1. Family2. Education3. Politics4. Economy/work

a. Gender Wage Gapb. Work conditions

GENDER WAGE GAP

1. Occupational sex segregation2. Denial of equal pay & promotions for equal worth (discrim)3. Human capital differences: keeping women out of the labor

force, learning job-related skills (or not) as part of gender role/norm

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Wage Gap

  Traditional Jobs for Women—” Women’s Work”

Occupation % Female Hourly Wages

Secretary 98.6 $14.19

Receptionist 95.5 $10.52

Hairdressers/Cosmetologists 90.8 $10.17

Nursing aids 89.9 $8.60

Waitress 77.4 $6.55

Cashiers 77.0 $8.16 Average: $9.60

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Wage Gap

Pay in Non-Traditional jobs for Women – “Men’s Work”

Occupation % Female Hourly Wages

Machinist 5.6 $16.90

Truck drivers 4.9 $17.50

Aircraft engine mechanics 4.2 $24.78

Construction trades 2.5 $30.99

Automobile mechanics 1.4 $17.31

Average: $ 21.19

• $21.19-$9.60=$11.59; pay gap between M & W work• “Men’s work” pays~ 2.2X more than women’s work • $11.59*2000 (hours/year)$23,000 MORE for M than W• $23,000*30 (working years)$695,400; X 40 yrs. =$920,000• Plus, insurance, paid sick & annual leave, pension

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Minnesota DOL Study Data

Job Job Evaluation Rating Salary

  Delivery Van Driver  (mostly men)

117 points $1900 per month

  Clerk Typist  (mostly women)

117 points $1400 per month

25Controls for skill level, job conditions, F.T. employment. Source: BLS, 2004

Interactive Graphic on Gender Wage Gap

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http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2009/03/01/business/20090301_WageGap.html

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Generally, Better Educated Workers Have Higher Incomes but the payoff is greater for men than women

Full-Time Workers aged 25+

Males FemalesRatio of Female to Male income

Not high school graduate

$24,364 $18,096 0.74

high school graduate

$34,723 $25,302 0.73

Some college, no degree

$ 41,045 $30,418 0.74

Associates degree $42,776 $32,152 0.75

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Generally, Better Educated Workers Have Higher Incomes but the payoff is greater for men than women

Full-Time Workers 25+

Males FemalesRatio of Female to Male income

Bachelor’s degree

$55,929 $40,994 0.73

Master’s degree $70,898 $50,668 0.71

Professional degree

$100,000 $61,7470.62

Doctorate degree

$86,965 $62,122 0.71

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Percent of Physicians at Each Income Level for Women & Men.

Census 2000.

61%65%

59%

72%67%

71%76%

80%

88%

39% 41%35%

28%33%

29%24%

20%

12%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

<$40K

$40-55K

$ 55-70K

$70-85K

$85-100K

$100-125K

$125-150K

$150-200K

$200K+

Income Category

Per

cent

In In

com

e C

ateg

ory

Male

Female

Hartmann, 2005Economic Policy Institute Report

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“The Myth of Male Decline” by Stephanie Coontz, New York Times,” October 2012

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http://www.nytimes.com/2012/09/30/opinion/sunday/the-myth-of-male-decline.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0

Is education the great equalizer or is it a path to gender segregation in the labor force?

“…most women, despite earning higher grades, seem to be educating themselves for occupations that systematically pay less.” (Coontz)

How have men’s lives changed as women have entered the labor force?

“Among dual-earner couples, husbands with the least education do as much or more housework than their more educated counterparts. Men who have made these adjustments report happier marriages — and better sex lives.” (Coontz)

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2004 or closest year depending on availability of data

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Median Weekly Earnings of Full-Time, Year-Round Workers as a Percentage of White Men's Earnings, 2009

100

7467

79

6960

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

Men Men Men Women Women Women

White Black Hispanic White Black Hispanic

Source : U.S. Bur. of Labor Statistics,Employment and Earnings Online, 2010

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Social problems related to gender bias & sexism

(Consequences of Constructing Gender )

1. Family

2. Education

3. Politics

4. Economy/worka. Gender Wage Gap

b. Work conditions

Work Conditions

1. Physical Health: Injury, Illness and Death

2. Mental Health: repetition, lack of authority

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Transgender or no gender at all?

• http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/transgender-at-five/2012/05/19/gIQABfFkbU_story_4.html

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Social problems related to gender bias & sexism

NOT REQUIRED VIEWING 2.5 minute BBC clip What Are We Fighting For? http://news.bbc.co.uk/panorama/hi/front_page/

newsid_8200000/8200511.stm

http://www.nytimes.com/slideshow/2009/01/13/world/20090113AFGHAN_index.html

Jean Kilbourne on construction of femininity via ads

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-1993368502337678412#

Class Activity

1. You are the parent of a 10 year-old who asks: “What does it mean to be a man?”

2. MEN ONLY: Answer this: • “When you are in an all-male space such as a

locker room, what do you say to one another about what it means to be a man? I.e., how do you define masculinity when no women are present?

3. Meaning of the lists:• Of culturally endorsed traits of men, how many are

unique to men? Are women ever strong?

4. Why are we so committed to the ideal that sex differences in intelligence, competence, emotions, and morals are biological or “essential” to women or men?